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Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Based on the liturgy for the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

INTRODUCTION

O God, come to our aid.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

Hymn

Hail, Queen of the heavens, hail Mistress of earth;

Hail, Virgin most pure of immaculate birth:

Clear star of the morning in beauty enshrined;

O Lady, make speed to the help of mankind.

Thee God in the depth of eternity chose,

And formed thee all fair as his glorious spouse,

And called thee his own Word’s true Mother to be

By whom he created the earth, sky, and sea.

Hail, Mother most pure, hail, Virgin renowned,

Hail, Queen with the stars as a diadem crowned;

Above all the angels in glory untold,

Set next to the King in a vesture of gold.

These praises and prayers we lay at thy feet,

O Virgin of virgins, O Mary most sweet:

Be thou our true guide through this pilgrimage here,

And stand by our side when our death draweth near.

Psalm 131 (132)
God's promise to the house of David

Your faithful shall ring out their joy as they enter your dwelling-place, Lord.

Lord, remember David

and how he served you.

He swore to the Lord,

vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

“I will not go into my tent, my home,

nor go up to my bed of rest;

I will not let my eyes sleep

or my eyelids grow heavy

until I have found a place for the Lord,

a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

We heard that it was in Ephratha,

we found it in the plains of Jaar.

So let us go into his dwelling-place

and let us worship before his footstool.

Rise up, Lord, and come to your place of rest.

Come with the Ark of your power.

Let your priests be robed in your justice,

and let your chosen ones rejoice.

Remember what David did for you,

and do not turn your face from your Anointed.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Your faithful shall ring out their joy as they enter your dwelling-place, Lord.

How to listen

Psalm 131 (132)

The Lord has chosen Sion as his dwelling-place.

The Lord swore David a true oath,

he will not go back on his word:

“The fruit of your body

I will place on your throne.

If your children keep my covenant and the commands I teach them,

their children’s children will occupy your throne for ever.”

For the Lord has chosen Zion,

taken it for his dwelling-place:

“Here will I take my rest for all time:

here will I live, such is my desire.

I will bless its crops with my blessing,

I will fill its poor with bread.

I will clothe its priests with righteousness.

Its chosen ones will exult with joy.

There will I plant the sign of David,

and prepare a lamp for my anointed one.

I will wrap his enemies in confusion,

but over his head my crown will shine.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lord has chosen Sion as his dwelling-place.

Canticle	Apocalypse 11

The Judgement

The Lord has given him power and honour and empire, and all peoples will serve him.

We thank you,

Lord God Almighty,

who are and who were,

that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign.

The nations were angered,

but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged,

the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants,

and those who feared your name, both great and small.

Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God,

and the power of his Anointed,

for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down,

who accused them day and night in the sight of God.

But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb

and through their own witness.

They did not cling to life,

even in the face of death.

Therefore rejoice, heavens,

and you who dwell in them.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lord has given him power and honour and empire, and all peoples will serve him.

Scripture Reading	Galatians 4:4-5

When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons.

Short Responsory

Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with you.

– Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with you.

You are most blessed of all women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

– Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with you.

Canticle	Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

Mary treasured the word of God and pondered it in her heart.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.

For he has shown me such favour –

me, his lowly handmaiden.

Now all generations will call me blessed,

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

His name is holy,

his mercy lasts for generation after generation

for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:

he has scattered the proud and conceited,

torn princes from their thrones;

but lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Mary treasured the word of God and pondered it in her heart.

Prayers and intercessions

Let us praise God the Father who chose Mary as the mother of his Son and wanted all generations to call her blessed. With confidence we pray: